Listen up, NTC: Internet is not a value added service
@jesterinexile attended the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC ) public hearing in Baguio last Friday. Apparently the NTC “believes, and continues to believe that broadband is a value added service. Value added service is another speak for, “add on.” NTC believes that this isn’t the telco’s main business, but their side business.”
@rom emphasizes that “DepEd & CHED must step in and tell NTC that poor broadband services gravely affect education, specially distance education. #betterinternet”
Anything non-voice daw is is Value-added-service which I think is an excuse to dictate prices.
@cocoy in Is internet a value added internet service? adds that:
What is pretty clear in the face of global change, in the face of how much the Internet is instrumental in every part of people’s lives, and continues to grow, the Internet access must be considered as a right. At the same time, Internet infrastructure must maintain its core ethos: that no one group controls it and any law or policy must respect network neutrality.
Times have changed. NTC should review the broadband access classification as value-added service (VAS) .
Broadband is not VAS when it can be sold independently of its main services (i.e. cellular, landline). Internet usage is not the same as it was ten years ago. Bayan Telecommunications, agrees the real revenue is in broadband as demand for it increased more than traditional revenue sources like voice calls and international long distance calls.
Today, internet connection is a basic service needed by consumers to communicate with family members, acquire information and knowledge.
Here are the live tweets from @jesterinexile and others who were watching the public hearing on ustream. The videos can be viewed here.
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Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Noemi Lardizabal-Dado is a Content Strategist with over 16 years experience in blogging, content management, citizen advocacy and media literacy and over 26 years in web development. Otherwise known as @MomBlogger on social media, she believes in making a difference in the lives of her children by advocating social change for social good. She is a co-founder and a member of the editorial board of Blog Watch . She is a resource speaker on media literacy, social media , blogging, digital citizenship, good governance, transparency, parenting, women’s rights and wellness, and cyber safety. Her personal blogs such as aboutmyrecovery.com (parenting) , pinoyfoodblog.com (recipes), techiegadgets.com (gadgets) and benguetarabica.coffee keep her busy outside of Blog Watch. Disclosure: I am an advocate. I am NOT neutral. I will NOT give social media mileage to members of political clans, epal, a previous candidate for the same position and those I believe are a waste of taxpayers' money. I do not support or belong to any political party. I was part of accredited media covering the Office of the Vice President and Leni Robredo as she ran as a presidential aspirant in the 2022 National and local elections. On August 5, 2021, YouTube announced that I was selected as one of 50 Program participants of its Creator Program for Independent Journalists She was a Senior Consultant for ALL media engagements for the PCOO-led Committee on Media Affairs & Strategic Communications (CMASC) under the ASEAN 2017 National Organizing Council from January 4 -July 5, 2017. Having been an ASEAN advocate since 2011, she has written extensively about the benefits of the ASEAN community and as a region of opportunities on Blog Watch and aboutmyrecovery.com. Organization affiliation includes Consortium on Democracy and Disinformation Updated June 6, 2022